Scary moment girl dragged into water by sea lion

Watch as a sea lion attacks and drags a young girl into the waters at the Steveston Fisherman’s Wharf, Richmond B.C. Canada.

The girl was rescued by her family members and bystanders. Nobody was injured in the incident.

Andrew Trites, the director of UBC’s Marine Mammal Research Unit, says the animal is not to blame for the incident, and that sea lions are not inherently dangerous. However, they are wild animals and the public should keep their distance.

Speaking to CBC News, he said: “My first reaction to the video is just how stupid some people can be to not treat wildlife with proper respect.

“This was a male California sea lion. They are huge animals. They are not circus performers. They’re not trained to be next to people.”

He added: “The little girl has her back to the sea lion and it would appear that the sea lion sees part of her dress, thinks it’s food, reaches up, grabs at the food and pulls her in by the dress. But it wasn’t food of course.